Fishing column: Wicked warming trend fires up fish

Adam Delaney, a guide who fishes Lake George, reported water temperatures at 52 degrees on Saturday. On Tuesday morning, he said the big lake was alive with fish and covered in bed-fanning activity.

With the water tempature at 72 degrees, Delaney said “the whole lake blew up.”

And it’s just red-hot fired up for the bass. Delaney had 10 up to 8 pounds.

The warming water is also having an effect on the speckled perch. They are moving out of the depths, and the big, roe-heavy females are staging up on the edges of shoreline vegetation. They’re not moving en masse into the lily pads to spawn. But, according to a couple of guides who cleaned a few of the big females, they’re busting with roe.

The catfish bite is seriously good as well. The commercial guys are catching them in 10-12 feet of water now. Find a sandbar with a drop-off like that and you should be in business.

With a full moon Feb. 14, the five days prior to Valentine’s Day should be the best of the year.

We men know deep down that women don’t want jewelry or spa days on Valentine’s Day. They want something soulful, from our hearts.

A wonderful day shared on Dead Lake or Dunn’s Creek would really say, “I like you more than you think” to that special woman in your life. And brothers, remember that it is a day of romance and chivalry.

The flounder bite seemed to pick up this week, though the fish are averaging 18 inches and down. A lot of redfish were caught after the crappy weekend weather, but the vast majority is undersized.

The speckled seatrout bite on the higher tides has produced some pretty nice fish — plenty legal. Salt Run has been hot for the trout.

The whiting bite in the channels stopped dead the early part of the week. There is still some black drum being caught in the deeper holes.

The Atlantic

It almost seems foreign to talk about striking fish off the coast. It’s been that long since we’ve had the weather and fish intersects offshore.

The wahoo fishing was good Saturday. The two reports I got were from boats out of Jacksonville, but one went 7 for 14. Paul Dozier reportedly 5 for 9. There were reports of blackfin tuna and a few wahoo east of our inlet as well.

Captain Robert Johnson fished some bottom out past 100 feet and reports limiting on cobia to 50 pounds. He also topped off the ice chest with fat beeliners, jumbo black sea bass and triggerfish.

The red snapper were expectedly pesky.

We didn’t hear any reports from our near-shore reefs and wrecks. If you have a report, call me.

Surf fishing has been poor on the south beaches and a little better north of the inlet.

Tournaments

The team of J.D. Nobles and Kyle Craven won another tournament Saturday in the FLA Lure Division 3 redfish event, with 14.76 pounds in a three-redfish, under 24-inch format.

Other local teams placing well were Jeff Holland and Wil Smith in third, Carly and Mike Hayes in fifth and Jeremy and Brian Lee taking 19th.

The Weather

Northeast winds are forecast for Saturday at 10 knots with seas at 2 to 4 feet.

Sunday winds will be 15 knows from the northwest with seas at 2-4 feet.